When You Wish on a Thousand Cranes
by icy-piyo21
Summary: Axel and Roxas talk about a famous legend. What happened when Axel decided to give it a go? Read and review please!
1. Prologue: The Legend

My second fic!!! Don't worry, it's longer....

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It was a lovely evening. The sky was painted in streaks of orange, pink and red . The sun was sinking ever so slowly below the horizon, as if it wanted to stay and see two 10 year old boys down there in the park, playing and laughing happily. A porcupine redhead was joking around with a spiky, sunshine-haired blonde.

"Hey Axel, have you heard about the 1000 origami cranes legend?" The blonde queried, his sapphire eyes flashing with excitement.

"Umm…. Nope. Sorry, Roxas." The redhead answered back with a sheepish grin.

The blonde slapped his forehead in exasperation. "God, you're sooo pathetic. My grandma told me that if you make a thousand of those paper birds, your wish will be granted!"

The redhead looked deep in thought for a second, and then his face lit up. "I bet I should start making them now! Probably if I have a wish later I could put them to good use!"

"I bet you wouldn't even last making 50 of them!"

"Hey, I still have determination okay?" The redhead said, pretending to sulk.

"Let's see if you still have determination next week! I challenge you to make that 1000 cranes, and show me when you're done!"

"Challenge accepted!"

With that, the boys parted ways. Little did they know what awaited them…

----3 days later----

Axel was at home when the phone rang. His mother picked it up. As the conversation continues, his mother's face turned as white as a sheet of plain paper.

"Yes, thank you very much. Good afternoon, miss."

With those words, Axel's mom shut the phone.

"Axel… Come here, darling."

"Mom, don't call me that!"

Usually his mother would tease him further when Axel said that, but today she didn't seem to care. She only sighed deeply, and talked to Axel in a very low, grave voice.

"Axel, Roxas…. A drunken driver hit him…. The driver died on the spot…"

"What? You can't be serious! What about Roxas??"

"Roxas... He didn't die on impact."

"Thank God…"

"But when the car hit him, his head hit a nearby lamp post… And he was knocked out cold. Doctors scanned his head, and found out that his brain sustained major hemorrhage…. In short, he is now in a coma, and he may not make it…"

Upon hearing those words, Axel felt his legs go limp. His legs gave way, and he wept soundlessly by the phone.

"No way… No way could this happen…"

His mother decided to let her son be, because she knew it'd be useless to say anything to him at this point.

But suddenly he stopped crying. He stared at his mother, and talked to her in a flat tone.

"Mom, drive me to the nearest bookstore. We have lots of origami papers to buy."

And so Axel's crane making marathon begins.

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Well, how do you like it? I still have a chapter coming... For now, enjoy! And... REVIEWS PLEASE!!! w


	2. Axel's Crane Making Endeavors

Well, this is the second chapter... Took me quite a while... Enjoy anyhow!

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Axel had spent his weekends making cranes for Roxas. Soon he started visiting Roxas after school as well. The series of paragraphs below tell the story of his endeavor, and how it turned out…  
(Italics are Axel's POV)

---Crane no. 55---

_Roxas… It has been three weeks after your… fateful encounter. I was really sad when I heard about you. I was crying when I remembered what you told me. You told me that if you made a thousand paper cranes, your wish will be __granted. You also challenged me into making 1000 paper cranes. Now, I wish to prove it. I want to prove the legend, and that I can make them. I will make them, and I will show you when I have folded my thousandth crane. Wait and see, Roxas. _

---Crane no.135---

_Namin__e came to visit you, Roxas. She was totally concerned. She helped me with a few cranes. I wonder if you'll remember her? I hope you would, I don't want you waking up forgetting everything. We'll have difficulty reminding you! But maybe it'd be hilarious…. I can't imagine your face. It'd be better if you remember though… When will you wake up?_

---Crane no. 346---

It has been one month ever since Roxas was hit by the car. Not many changes in school, but everyone can obviously see that he just wasn't the same anymore. He was no longer a chatterbox. He spent his recess daydreaming, staring off into space. His eyes would usually show joy and happiness. Now, only gloom and sorrow emanated from those once bright and shining emerald spheres. There were no significant changes in his academic performances; yet everyone can tell he is emotionally shaken. Usually he'd spend recess teasing Larxene "buggy" bangs (or so he'd call them), or simply start up a game of "Truth or Dare". But now, no more. No more teasing and games. Even Larxene's starting to miss his teasing, upbeat voice. One day, Namine and Larxene sat near his table.

"You really miss him, don't you?" Larxene asked.

But Axel didn't answer. He had drifted away, building castles in the air.

_It has been a good month after that day. I am on my 346__th__ crane, and still with high hopes that you'd open your eyes. I miss you a lot, Roxas… Please, open your eyes for me…_

---Crane no. 547---

_My 547__th__ crane…And 6 months prior to that day. You are still in your deep slumber…  
A lot of friends come over to my house, consoling me and comforting me.  
But nothing seems to help. All I want to see now is you, awake and lively like before. Namine and Larxene were really kind. They occasionally come to your room and help me make cranes.  
I highly appreciate their help. But still, nothing can substitute you…_

Larxene, Namine and Axel were in room 401, where Roxas is lying on the bed, comatose. Tubes and various machineries seemed to be the only things keeping his heart beating, pumping blood to his immobile and seemingly dead body. Larxene and Namine knew how heavy this was for Axel. They helped him make cranes, and made sure he had enough rest. Axel was sleeping soundly on Roxas's bed, so the trio stopped their crane-making marathon for a while. Larxene turned to Namine, and talked to her.

"I wish Roxas were awake." She said quietly, careful not to disturb the resting redhead.

"I know. It must pain him so badly to see his best friend like this." Namine replied in like fashion.

"Shall we leave and let the redhead rest?" Namine asked back.

"So we shall. I think it's best to do so."

With that, they left after they told the nurse to tell Axel about their departure.

---Crane no. 884---

_I've reached over 800 cranes, Roxas. See, I told you I'd still have the determination! I'll make 1000 cranes, and show you! Larxene and Namine __helped a lot. When you wake up, I'm sure we'll be great quads! So hurry, open your eyes so we can play like we used to! It's been 8 months, and I miss you like crazy. I miss those eyes which used to radiate with joy and mischief…._

Larxene, Namine and Axel were in Roxas's hospital room, folding cranes as usual, and chatting. They also talked to Roxas, because the doctor told them he might be listening to them, even without him realizing. They told Roxas everything that happened while he was gone. Sometimes Axel would imagine a smile on his face, and laugh to himself picturing it. They were talking, when suddenly the blanket shifted around. When they lifted it, Roxas's hand was moving! Axel quickly called out to Roxas.

"Roxas? Are you awake?"

"Roxas! Wake up!" Larxene half-screamed.

Namine stayed silent, but her face was white with shock.

The hand kept moving and shifting, until it touched Axel's hand. It placed its grip there, and stopped moving. All four(with the nurse) stared at it, dumbfounded and frozen in place.

"Roxas… Do you… Do you actually know we're here?" Axel asked, choking on his words.

But Roxas didn't budge.

"Roxas… I miss you a lot… Say something!" Axel whined in desperation.

Still, Roxas didn't answer. He was back in his deep slumber, from which God knows when he'll wake up.

Axel buried his head in his friend's blanket, and cried and wailed like a kid. Larxene and Namine just let him be for a while, before deciding to leave.

"Axel, we're leaving…" Namine told Axel.

But at that point, Axel heard no more. He didn't care about anything anymore, and sobbed until he fell asleep out of exhaustion.

_-------- 2 months preceding Roxas's sudden movement----------_

---Crane no. 987---

_I am nearing my 1000__th__ crane, Roxas. I can't wait for you to open your eyes… Hurry and open them, please…_

_~ 3 hours later ~_

---Crane no.998---

_Two more… Just two more to go. I have been waiting for this day, Roxas. As I fold my thousandth crane, I want to see your azure eyes. I want to see those sapphire spheres I've missed so badly…. I have folded these cranes with sincerity, and I want to see your eyes open. If you must leave me, then I shall have nothing more to say. But at least, open your eyes for a moment, and talk to me for the last time…._

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Those were the stories of his attempt to make Roxas's thousand cranes. The results of his efforts will be told further in the next chapter... Please review!!!!


	3. Epilogue: All in Fate's Hands

Well here it is, the conclusion to my story….Sorry for making you wait….

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Axel picked up the last piece of origami paper, folding it into a marvellous paper crane. He placed the crane with the rest of his (or shall I say, their) creation. He sat back, satisfied with his work.

"I'm done… When I wake up tomorrow, I want to see you awake, got it memorized?" He said to the comatose figure in front of him.

"Nah, chances are slim. But… nobody said that you weren't allowed to wish, right? After all, that's what the cranes are for…."

With that, he stroked the immobile blonde's hands, then everything went black.  
When the nurse came in, she found him asleep out of exhaustion.

---The next morning---

The sun shone brightly on Room 401's window, waking the redhead up. He rubbed his eyes which were heavy with sleep, and felt a hand on his head, stroking him.

"Mommy?" He said without thinking. (Man, oversleeping is dangerous. Remember that folks!!)

"Who do you think I am, your mother? Wake up dude!!"

He turned to the source of the voice, and saw a beaming nurse standing beside Roxas's bed… with a fully awake Roxas sitting up in it.

"Rox..as? Roxas? You're…awake? Oh my god, you're awake!!!"

The redhead was happy beyond belief. His eyes, which were half-closed, was now wide open, shining brighter than the lights of a Christmas tree.

Seconds later, Larxene and Namine came in.

"Late as always. We knew bout this like an hour ago." Larxene commented, sarcasm in her voice.

"You slept like a log, I swear if an elephant comes in and kills us all you'd sleep through it and die peacefully." Roxas said dryly.

Namine only laughed softly.

"Anyhoos… I'm allowed to leave the hospital tomorrow. See you guys at Hachiko? Twelve o' clock." Roxas offered the threesome.

"Agreed!!"

With that, the three went home. But apparently fate has something else in store for them…

---The promised day---

Axel got up with a jolt. He was ecstatic; he'd meet Roxas today! Hurriedly he bathed, rummaged his wardrobe for his favourite red sweater, ate and dashed out of the door.

"Have fun honey!" Axel's mother shouted after him.

A faint reply came from the distance.

"I will, no worries!"

No sooner than the reply was heard, there was a screech of a halting car, a scream, a crash, and silence… for a few seconds. Then a deafening explosion sound was heard.

Hearing this, Axel's mother came out of the house. As she looked out to the street her son ran down earlier, she no longer saw a street.

All she saw was a blazing inferno, burning and incinerating everything blocking the wild mane of red.

She looked around frantically, shocked at the sight. Then her eyes caught something in the middle of the devastated site. Amidst the flaming debris, she saw a red sweater, licked up by the fire to nothingness.

Her face turned white in horror. She stood dumbfounded, then screamed her lungs out for the whole world to hear before fainting.

"Axel!!!!!"

---A year later---

Roxas walked gravely towards a graveyard, a bouquet of flowers, a piece of paper, and a few paper cranes in hand.

He stopped when he reached a tombstone which read:

"Axel Kiseki, 14 August 1995- 25 July 2005"

He saw a woman kneeling beside it, praying. The woman looked up, and smiled sadly.

"My condolences for your loss, Roxas." She said gently.

Roxas's reply was barely heard.

"And mine for yours." He replied glumly.

The woman gave him a small nod, and she left.

Roxas approached the tombstone, laid his hands on it and felt hot tears on his cheeks.  
He left the things he brought earlier, and the paper face-down. He prayed for a few moments then left.

The wind blowed softly, over-turning the paper. The paper had Roxas's scrawny writing on it.

_Dear Axel,_

_It's been one year after that fateful day. We waited, and waited, and waited, yet you never showed up. Then your mother came and broke it to us. I thought I should've never opened my eyes that day. Why did you have to leave? You still haven't enjoyed your moments with me! I missed you each and every single day… _

_Now I leave these cranes for you, with the wishes that you'd wake up and play with me. It's impossible… but no-one said you weren't allowed to dream… right?_

_Your friend, Roxas._

Soon, the skies darkened. Then, it started raining… as if the skies were mourning, mourning for the blonde- haired boy…

---The End---

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How was it?? Review pleeasseee???


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